Seeking Immortality

To the east of Central China and south of the North Pole of the glacier, there is a magnificent "Wuling Mountain" that is thousands of feet high. *The academy is close to the boundless East China Sea, with beautiful scenery and pleasant climate. Although this mountain is not the highest, nor the most spectacular, in the vast land of China, it is definitely the most unforgettable.

"Spring mountains are light and beautiful as if smiling, summer mountains are verdant and dripping, autumn mountains are bright and clear as if wearing makeup, and winter mountains are bleak and sleeping." This is the description of Wuling Mountain by Yunyouzi in "Shanhai Yitan-Shanhai Chapter". "Hundreds of rivers are boiling, and mountains and tombs are broken. High valleys are banks, and deep valleys are tombs." This is the description of Wuling Mountain in the famous book "Youyou" in the world. The beautiful and magnificent scenery of Wuling Mountain can be seen from these poems.

Xu Qingfan had longed for the scenery of Wuling Mountain from various books a long time ago, but he had never had the chance to see it.

During his wandering down the mountain two years ago, he did not come here because of time constraints. This newcomer competition just happened to allow Xu Qingfan to fulfill his long-cherished wish.

In the mortal world, there is a legend that the top of Wuling Mountain is the residence of the legendary immortals, and only immortals can live in such a magnificent and mysterious mountain. And as long as someone can climb to the top of Wuling Mountain, they can be accepted as disciples by the immortals. Unfortunately, no mortal has ever been able to climb to the top of Wuling Mountain for tens of millions of years, although the mountain is not very steep.

For tens of thousands of years, there have been countless mortals in the mortal world, each with special skills, strong bodies, and ambitious vows to climb to the top of Wuling Mountain to see the whole picture of Wuling Mountain, or to be accepted as disciples by immortals. But without exception, they all lost their way as soon as they climbed to the middle of the mountain, and finally returned to the foot of the mountain inexplicably. Therefore, the fact that there are immortals living on the top of Wuling Mountain is even more convinced by the mortals in the mortal world.

Thousands of years ago, the king of a powerful kingdom vowed to go to the top of Wuling Mountain to see the legendary gods with his own eyes, so he recruited countless strong men from the country to come to the foot of Wuling Mountain to open the mountain and cut a road for him. But he didn't expect that the rocks of Wuling Mountain were extremely hard. After ten years of hard work and countless manpower and financial resources, only a few dozen miles of mountain roads were opened. And because of the opening of the mountain road, the people of that king's kingdom were living in poverty, the national strength declined greatly, and it was eventually destroyed by neighboring countries. Since then, no one would mention the opening of mountain roads for Wuling Mountain.

In fact, there are no immortals living on the top of Wuling Mountain, but there are restrictions and formations set up by immortals, and mortals naturally cannot enter.

The top of Wuling Mountain. It is a flat land in the shape of a basin, covering an area of ​​about dozens of hectares, because it is a basin on the top of a mountain. So although it is thousands of feet above sea level, it is like spring all year round, with a mild climate, and there is no snow and cold wind like other mountain tops for thousands of years. And this basin is called "Zhantai" by immortals.

In order to ensure the fairness of the newcomer competition, the six holy places set up the newcomer competition in Zhantai, which is held every sixty years. The newcomer competition is claimed to be to urge the newcomers in the cultivation world to make progress and deepen the feelings of various factions, but in fact, each faction hopes to spy on the strength of other factions through the newcomer competition every sixty years.

Although Zhantai has been the venue for the newcomer competition since the establishment of the six holy places, the significance of Zhantai to the cultivation world is far more than that.

Tens of thousands of years ago. Various powerful races coexisted in the vast land of Shenzhou, and humans were just the most inconspicuous one, suffering from oppression. At that time, the powerful people in the human race gathered in Zhantai to discuss how to expel other races and make humans strong for the survival of mankind.

Ten thousand years ago, the cultivation of demons was rampant in the vast land of Shenzhou. Countless deaths and injuries of cultivators and mortals. The unbearable cultivators also held a cultivation meeting in Zhantai, vowing to wipe out the cultivation of demons.

Four thousand years ago, the Demon King appeared out of nowhere, causing a catastrophe in the world of immortal cultivation. The six major holy places united with the major sects to discuss countermeasures. The location was Zhantai.

So, Zhantai is not only the venue for the competition of newcomers in the world of immortal cultivation every sixty years. It is also the first place that the immortals think of when the world of immortal cultivation encounters a catastrophe. It is the fixed place for the major sects in the world of immortal cultivation to hold meetings when discussing major events. In a way, it is also the symbol of the world of immortal cultivation. * Academy

It is precisely because Zhantai is so significant that although the land of Zhantai is full of spiritual energy and there are many exotic beasts and spiritual herbs, no sect has ever dared to take Zhantai for themselves.

Thinking silently about the various information about Wuling Mountain and Zhantai in his mind, Xu Qingfan couldn't wait to take a glimpse of their full picture.

Wuling Mountain is about 69,000 miles away from Jiuhua Mountain, but the white cloud that Xu Qingfan stepped on at this time was exerted by several elders of Jiuhua Sect. Although it was carrying hundreds of Jiuhua disciples including Xu Qingfan, its speed was still far above Xu Qingfan's magic weapon "Wanliyun". So it took less than three days for the mountain scenery of Wuling Mountain to appear in front of Xu Qingfan.

On the eastern edge of the prosperous Middle-earth, countless large and small peaks stood, with waves and peaks, one after another. Among the peaks, a majestic and strange mountain stood tall and towered into the sky. The mountain was high and steep, but it was still elegant and beautiful, making people unforgettable. It was the Wuling Mountain, which was famous in the vast land of China.

Looking at the mountain scenery of Wuling Mountain from a distance, Xu Qingfan just sighed "The ancients did not deceive me", and the mountain scenery in front of him was almost approaching. In an instant, the white clouds under his feet had carried everyone to the waist of Wuling Mountain. Looking at Wuling Mountain from a close distance, the mountain is even more beautiful. But before Xu Qingfan and the others had time to observe carefully, several elders of Jiuhua Sect had already controlled the white clouds under their feet to rise quickly towards the top of the mountain.

When the white cloud carried everyone up more than a hundred feet, a rosy glow suddenly flashed above their heads. In the glittering fairy light, the white cloud surrounding Wuling Mountain slowly cracked a gap, allowing the Jiuhua Mountain people to continue to rise.

During the rise, this scene repeated three times, and the top of Wuling Mountain finally appeared in front of the Jiuhua Mountain people.

The top of Wuling Mountain was a basin covering dozens of hectares. In the basin, there were ancient trees, many exotic flowers and plants, and abundant spiritual energy, just like a paradise.

In the basin, a jade platform several feet high stood in the southernmost part of the basin, on which sat hundreds of imposing immortals, some of them were pale, some had a dignified look, and some had a Taoist style. But no matter what the image was, they all had spiritual light in their eyes, and the spiritual energy fluctuations on their bodies were obscure but extremely powerful. Obviously, they were all the heads and elders of the major sects who came to participate in this newcomer competition.

Under the platform, four or five thousand immortals stood quietly. Compared with the immortals on the platform, these immortals were much younger and much weaker, ranging from the Spiritual Silence Stage to the Qi Refining Stage.

Looking at so many powerful immortals in front of him, Xu Qingfan couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Xu Qingfan had never seen so many immortals gathered together before, not to mention that the strength of these immortals was not weak.

These immortals are probably the elites of the immortal world in the next hundred years. Although they have different temperaments, they all have strong self-confidence. Obviously, they are often proud of their talents and strengths.

But how many of these four or five thousand young elites can reach the Jindan stage? Xu Qingfan suddenly thought.

I think four or five hundred years ago. People like Zhang Hualing and Zhou Huahai, as well as the elders on the platform, are probably standing quietly under the platform. Waiting for the newcomer competition to start? At that time, they were also surrounded by thousands of fellow disciples of equal strength, but how many of them can enter the Jindan stage now? Just look at the fact that there are only two or three hundred Jindan stage masters on the high platform.

Just as Xu Qingfan sighed, the white clouds under his feet did not stop and slowly floated towards the high platform. * Academy At the same time, the hundreds of Jindan masters on the high platform also stood up and greeted Jiuhua people with clouds.

"I am ashamed. I thought Jiuhua Mountain is the closest to Wuling Mountain, but I didn't expect to arrive the latest now. I am really ashamed of all the Taoist friends." When he was about to approach the Jindan stage masters, Zhang Hualing suddenly bowed and said with a smile.

"Master Zhang, you are polite. We have only been here for a short time.

Moreover, there is still more than a quarter of a second before the deadline. Master Zhang, you are not late, but we are early." A middle-aged man with a rich face smiled and bowed in response.

Along the way, Bao Qingfang, the best master among the disciples of the "Qing" generation of Jiuhua Sect, had already introduced the characteristics of the heads of various sects and the more famous elders who were coming to participate in the newcomer competition to Xu Qingfan and others. Because Xu Qingfan saw this person now, he took a slight look and knew that he was Zeng Lianxian, the head of the "Five Elements Sect" in the six holy places.

There were seven people who were welcomed first. Among them, the skinny old man with a face full of suffering. Barefoot and hemp clothes, is the representative of Kuxiu Valley, Xuan Jianzun; the old woman next to him in white clothes with a cold face is Li Tianying, the master of the "* Palace" in the six holy places; as for the bald old man in a gray robe with a gloomy face, he should be Qing Lingzi, the head of the "Qingxu Sect"; the white-browed old monk on the far left with a solemn look is Master Xu Huan, the abbot of the "Chanyun Temple".

In addition to the heads of the six holy places. There are two people who also attracted Xu Qingfan's attention. One of them was extremely tall, with torn clothes and bare chest. His hair was disheveled and his limbs were covered with golden rings. He should be the Grand Master of the "Eight Desolations Palace", Mantian. The other Taoist in white, wearing Bagua clothing, should be the head of the "* Sect", Jiuze Taoist.

The "Eight Desolations Palace" and the "* Sect" were second only to the six holy places in terms of strength and reputation in the world of immortal cultivation. They were very powerful and had always been coveting the holy land status of Jiuhua Sect. In every newcomer competition, the results of these two sects were closest to Jiuhua Sect, and even a few times they were better than Jiuhua Sect. Xu Qingfan often heard Zhao Qingxuan say that every time he went out and met disciples of these two sects, the words of these two disciples were often arrogant and rude, and they obviously did not take Jiuhua Sect seriously.

Among them, the "Eight Desolations Palace" posed a greater threat to Jiuhua Sect. It is said that the eight hall masters of the Eight Desolations Palace each had the cultivation of the late Jindan stage, There are many disciples under the sect, and their methods are treacherous. They are good at using physical skills and controlling monsters and wild beasts, and they are extremely powerful. Moreover, because the Eight Desolate Palace was established relatively late, it did not occupy those sacred mountains and precious lands with abundant spiritual energy in the vast land of China. It had no choice but to find eight remote places with relatively abundant spiritual energy and build palaces to live in them. Because these eight palaces are located in remote areas and the surrounding environment is barren, they call themselves "Eight Desolate Palaces".

But it is precisely because the spiritual energy of the Eight Desolate Palace is relatively thin, and although this sect is unique in the world of cultivation in terms of physical skills and controlling monsters and wild beasts, in general, the skills are not as mysterious and profound as those of the six holy places. In addition, the sect was established relatively recently, so the sect has less accumulation, so it is most interested in the Jiuhua Mountain with abundant spiritual energy, the thousands of years of sect accumulation, and the mysterious skills and methods within the Jiuhua Sect.

At this time, Xu Qingfan looked at the great hall master of the "Eight Desolations Hall", Mantian, who had a simple and honest face. He was nodding and smiling at Zhang Hualing, with a kind look in his eyes, and seemed to have no malice. But Xu Qingfan also knew that any immortal who could cultivate to the Golden Core Stage was a person of great talent and wisdom, and this Mantian was the same. His true character could never be as simple and honest as his appearance. Just like his opinion of Jiuhuamen would not be as friendly as his expression.

Compared with the "Eight Desolations Hall", the "* Sect" posed a smaller threat to Jiuhua Mountain, but it was definitely not an easy opponent. The "* Sect" was established as long as the six holy places, and was good at formations, spells, and sealing techniques. Moreover, the skills of this sect were even more mysterious, and could easily induce the power of wind, rain, thunder and lightning between heaven and earth. Because the low-level disciples of this sect traveled in the mortal world all year round, occasionally exorcising demons for mortals. They made clouds and rain, so they had a very high reputation in the mortal world. I'm afraid half of the various legends of gods and immortals in the mortal world were created by this sect.

It is precisely because of the high reputation of this sect in the mortal world that countless talented people in the mortal world have worshipped under the "* Sect", so the * Sect's cultivation is also the highest among the major sects in the cultivation world. The reason why the "* Sect" has such strength but is not one of the six holy places or the seventh holy place is because the sect's cultivation method has some defects, which makes the sect's disciples' cultivation speed extremely slow after reaching the Jindan stage. Therefore, there are only four or five masters in the Jindan stage of the sect, and there is no master in the Mahayana stage.

Therefore, although the ambition of the "* Sect" to annex Jiuhua Sect is not as strong as that of the "Bahuang Palace", if they are given the opportunity to obtain the various mysterious techniques of Jiuhua Sect and verify their own techniques, they will definitely not miss it. What's more. The disciples of the * Sect have always been quite paranoid about the title of "holy land", so Jiuhua Sect will never dare to take this sect lightly.

At this time, the head of the * sect, Jiuze Taoist, had a calm face, no joy or worry in his eyes, no emotional fluctuations, and only nodded slightly to Zhang Hualing, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.

In addition, Xu Qing

saw Bao Wei, Xuanxian, and Xuanxiu among the many great masters of the Jindan period who were welcomed. They obviously also saw Xu Qingfan. They all nodded slightly to each other.

After Zhang Hualing, Zhou Huahai and others greeted the heads and elders of the various sects they welcomed, the white clouds under their feet separated into dozens of clouds, carrying the elders of Jiuhua Sect and the heads and elders of other sects to fly to the white jade platform. The huge white cloud under the feet of Xu Qingfan and others carried everyone slowly and flew slowly towards the direction where thousands of disciples of various sects stood under the jade platform.

After arriving at the white jade platform, the huge white cloud first carried everyone to the ground slowly. Then it dissipated into nothingness. After Xu Qingfan felt down to earth. Instead, his mood tightened, because he knew. I will soon represent Jiuhua Sect in the newcomer competition among the major sects.

Along the way, Xu Qingfan had many conversations with the other four disciples who participated in the newcomer competition. Jin Qinghan was Xu Qingfan's close friend for many years, and both Lu Qingshang and Wang Qingjun were very kind to Xu Qingfan, although Lu Qingshang's expression was somewhat lost, and Wang Qingjun was as quiet as ever. As for Feng Qingtian, he was as arrogant as ever. Every time Xu Qingfan said two or three sentences to him, he would reply with one sentence. But no matter what, the situation that Xu Qingfan was worried about that everyone would not accept him did not happen.

But because of this, Xu Qingfan was under greater pressure in this newcomer competition, because he knew that if Jiuhua Sect still did not achieve good results under his leadership this time, he would have no excuse.

After landing, Xu Qingfan looked at the high platform first and found that Zhang Hualing and other people from Jiuhua Sect had already taken their seats. Among them, Zhang Hualing sat on the six larger chairs in the front, and the people sitting with him were the heads of the other five holy places. Obviously, the six seats in the front were set up for the heads of the six holy places.

Behind these six seats were more than 20 smaller seats, where Mantian and Jiuze Daoren sat. In addition, there were more than 20 immortal cultivators with different temperaments, which were obviously set up for the heads of other sects besides the six holy places.

And the rest of the Jiuhua Sect elders, including Zhou Huahai, sat in the last seat, and there were as many as two or three hundred people sitting with them, obviously all elders of the major sects.

Just as Xu Qingfan was looking at the great masters of the Jindan stage on the high platform, he suddenly felt that there were dozens of sharp eyes looking at him, most of which were provocative, and he couldn't help but frowned slightly, but he knew that this was not the time to show weakness, so he looked back calmly.

Looking at those who were looking at him, Xu Qingfan found that these people had at least the cultivation of the late stage of the Bigu, and most of them had the cultivation of the Lingji stage. They all looked proud, and they were probably the best among the low-level disciples of the major sects.

The biggest common point of these people was that they all had three purple marks on their robes without exception, and they were obviously the leaders of the disciples of various sects participating in this newcomer competition.

Looking at the three thin but conspicuous purple marks on his robe, Xu Qingfan couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart. Obviously, these people regarded him as a strong enemy.

Among these leaders of various sects participating in the newcomer competition, a few of them particularly attracted Xu Qingfan's attention.

First, there was a middle-aged man with a vicissitudes of life and a kind look. He was one of the only ones who looked at him without provocation. Beside him, Xu Qingfan also found Lv Ziqing, Shang Nian, Xu Xiurong and other disciples of Qingxu Sect, who were obviously the leaders of Qingxu Sect participating in the newcomer competition. What surprised Xu Qingfan was that with the strength of Lv Ziqing and Shang Nianyao, they were not the leaders of Qingxu Sect participating in the newcomer competition this time. The strength of Qingxu Sect can be seen.

Seeing that he met acquaintances, Xu Qingfan smiled and nodded to Lv Ziqing and others, and Lv Ziqing and Shang Nianyao also nodded in response to Xu Qingfan. When Xu Xiurong saw Xu Qingfan's eyes looking at her, her cheeks blushed slightly and she lowered her head.

Seeing Xu Xiurong's performance, Xu Qingfan couldn't help but smile. He didn't expect that after nearly three years, Xu Xiurong was still so shy.

But it was the other people who attracted Xu Qingfan's attention.

First, there was a young man in a Taoist robe, with an arrogant face and a cultivation base of the middle stage of the Spiritual Silence. Dozens of immortal cultivators wearing the same Taoist robes surrounded him like stars surrounding the moon. They were obviously the cultivators from the "* Sect" who came to participate in this newcomer competition.

Then there was a girl in white with a cold expression, who was looking at him coldly at this time, without any concern for his gaze back. Although she looked ordinary, she had a kind of self-admiring temperament. And all around her were women, obviously disciples of the "* Palace".

In addition, there were five middle-aged people who looked very similar, wearing gold, red, green, yellow, and blue clothes, representing the five elements of heaven and earth, and were obviously disciples of the Five Elements Sect. It was just that these five people looked so similar that Xu Qingfan wondered if they were brothers.

But the one who attracted Xu Qingfan's attention the most was a person with a child's figure and appearance. But this person's eyes were indifferent to his appearance. His face looked a little dirty, his clothes were worn out, and he wore gold rings on his limbs. Judging from his attire, he should be a disciple of the "Eight Desolations Palace", and he was standing in the crowd of the Eight Desolations Palace at this time. But what was strange was that the disciples of the "Eight Desolations Palace" were all far away from him, as if they were very afraid of this child-like person. And Xu Qingfan also felt a stronger sense of threat from this child than Feng Qingtian.

"Dong~~~"

Just as Xu Qingfan and the leaders of the disciples who participated in the newcomer competition of various sects were looking at each other, a clear and distant bell sound suddenly rang. In the sound of the bell, Xuan Jian of Kuxiu Valley stood up from his seat and slowly floated into the air.

Because of the special nature of the Kuxiu Valley sect, even the lowest-level disciples in the sect are casual cultivators who have been famous in the world of immortal cultivation for many years. Compared with the disciples of other sects who have been in the sect for less than a hundred years, their strength is much stronger. Therefore, Kuxiu Valley never sends disciples to participate in the newcomer competition, but usually acts as a referee.

After Xuan Jian flew to a height of three meters above the jade platform, he first glanced at the disciples of various sects on the ground, and then slowly said: "The newcomer competition is about to begin. Now let me announce the content of this competition to all Taoist friends."